Stoker mechanism



@cco 6 1936. F. P. ROESCH STOKER MECHANISM Filed July 22, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. @azzkffimrfi ATTORNEY.

Oct. 6, 1936.

P. ROESCH STOKER MECHANISM Filed July 22, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. C71'U771% %5(fi ATTORNEY.

Patented Oct. 6, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFicE STOKER MECHANISM Application July 22, 1932, Serial No. 624,007

9 Claims;

This invention relates to stoker mechanism, and more particularly toa fuel distributor member associated with the conveying mechanism of the stoker.

An object of the invention is to provide a revolving fuel distributor member formed to guide, direct or deflect fuel from a projected course to various parts of a furnace firebed.

Other objects are, to provide such a member or distributor on a conveyor screw which delivers fuel to a furnace, and to actuate such a distributor by connecting it directly to a stoker conveyor screw.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an inverted substantially pear-shaped firing opening in a wall of the furnace, arranged whereby fuel is delivered to and discharged through the lower narrow portion thereof into the furnace by stoker mechanism, and hand firing of the furnace is facilitated through the upper wide portion thereof.

A further object is to provide means at the delivery or furnace end of a stoker conduit adjacent the stoker fuel distributor and novel control mechanism therefor, to permit inspection of the distributor, removal of foreign matter that may become clogged in the delivery end of the stoker conduit, and admission of air into the furnace above the grates thereof.

Further objects, advantages andnovel structural details of the invention will appear from a reading of the following description and claims taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof, in which Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal central sectional view of a rear portion of a locomotive showing a stoker incorporating the present invention, with parts of the stoker broken away to illustrate the invention;

Figure 2 is a vertical transverse section taken on the irregular line 2-2-22 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a sectional View of the stoker conduit taken on line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is an enlarged horizontal section through the delivery end or mouth portion of the stoker, taken on line l-4 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is an enlarged vertical transverse sectional view through the mouth of the stoker conduit, taken on line 5--5 of Figure-1;

Figures 6 and '7 are detail top and bottom views, respectively, of the distributor as shown in position in Figure 1;

Figure 8 is a fragmentary View similar to Figure 1 illustrating a modified form of the invention;

Figure 9 is an enlarged detail section taken on I line 9-9 of Figure 8; and

Figure 10 is a sectional view taken on line Ill-l6 of Figure 8; l

Referring to Figures 1 to 7 inclusive, of the. drawings, a locomotive is designated generally by the numeral it], the firebox or furnace of the boiler at H, the upright backwall of the firebox at [2, the firebox'grates at l3, the locomotive cab at M, and the locomotive underframe at l 5.

The hollow backwall [2, which is of the water circulating type, is provided with a common opening I 6 above the level of the grates for stoker and hand firing. A stoker, designated as a whole by the numeral ll, extends forwardly from the tender (not shown) to the lower portion of the firing opening it. The stoker conduit is composed of a horizontally disposed cylindrical forward conduit section l8 having a mouth portion l9 opening forwardly and extending into the firing opening I6 and communicating with the firebox, an inclined conduit section 2i! mounted rigidly and in end to end relation with the conduit section i8 and sloping downwardly and rear- Wardly therefrom, and a horizontalrearward con- ,d-uit section 2! flexibly connected at 22 in end to end relation with the rear end-of the inclined conduit section 20. The conduit section i8 is fixed to the backwall by suitable securing means 23 extending through laterally projecting flanges 24 on they mouth portion thereof, and the conduit section 20 is supported at its rear end on the frame l5-by a bracket 25.

In delivering fuel to a common hand and stoker firing opening by a conduit that opens forwardly into the opening, it has been past practice to make the width of the lower portion of the firing opening, with which the conduit communicates,

equal to or greater than the Width of the upper vor handfiring portion of the opening. With the present invention, referring particularly to Figures 2 and 5, it will be noted that the firing opening' I6 is substantiallypear-shaped, and that the narrow lower portion 26 of the opening conforms substantially to the shape of the mouth portion IQ of the stoker'conduit extending therein, whereby the area of the opening is considerably less than that of past practice. A firedoor 271 closes the upper or hand firing portion of the opening [6.

Fuel is transferred through the stoker conduit by a continuous conveyor, comprising jointed screw sections, including a screw section 28 in the inclined conduit 20 connected by means of a plurality'of links 29 to a horizontal screw section 30 1 in the conduit section I8, and delivered directly to a nozzle 3|. The conveyor may be rotated and driven at its rear end in any desirable manner known in the art, and this structure need not be shown nor described as it forms no part of the invention.

The nozzle 3| extends through the floor of the stoker conduit immediately rearward of the back- Wall l2 and is provided with a chamber 32 which communicates with a source of pressure fluid (not shown) by means of one or more pipe lines 33. Blasts of pressure fluid issue from jet openings 34 in the front face of the nozzle for discharging the fuel delivered by the conveyor into the firebox above the level of the grates through the lower half of the mouth of the stoker conduit.

A fuel deflector 36 is provided on the forward end of the screw section 30 in the mouth of the stoker conduit torevolve when the stoker is in operation. The deflector 36 is formed to deflect fuel discharged by the pressure blasts from the nozzle 3| from its projected course uniformly to various parts of the firebox firebed. The deflector comprises a shaft or hub portion 39, a projection 4| extending transversely of the axis of the hub at one end thereof, and a flat projection 42 on the same end of the hub as the projection 4| arranged at a less angle with the axis of the hub than the projection 4|. The projections 4| and 42 are mounted on the hub 39 diametrically opposite each other to provide a space 61 therebetween. With reference to Figure 1, it is apparent that in a plane passing through the projection 4| and the axis of the hub, the projection is curved; and in Figures 6 and 7 it will be noted that in a plane passing through the projection 4| parallel with said axis, the projection comprises forwardly diverging side portions 66. The hub 31 of the screw section 36 is provided with a recess 38 arranged to receive the hub 39 of the deflector 36. Bolts 40 rigidly secure the deflector to the screw section 30. The hub of the deflector is disposed above the blasts from the nozzle 3|, and the projections 4| and 42 extend into the firebox.

When the stoker is in operation; fuel is conveyed to the nozzle 3| and discharged through the lower half of the mouth portion |9 intothe firebox. The projections on the deflector will move into and out of the path of the discharged fuel, as the deflector revolves with the screw section 30 about a common axis through their hubs. Fuel striking the projection 4| will be deflected, because of the shape of said projection, to the rear portions of the firebox firebed. As the projection 4| passes through the discharged fuel, the fuel is deflected in succession to one rear corner of the firebox, to therear center portion of the firebox and to the other rear corner of the firebox. When the fiat projection 42 moves into the fuel projected by the blast from the nozzle 3|, the fuel will be deflected similarly to the intermediate portions of the firebed. A portion of the discharged fuel will pass unobstructed through the spaces between the projections 4| and 42 to front portions of the firebed. Diverging ribs 35 on the mouth portion I9 of the stoker conduit direct some of the discharged fuel laterally to the front corners and sides of the firebed.

To obtain uniform distribution of the fuel, it may be desirable at times to vary the position of the deflector 36 with respect to the nozzle 3|, by either raising or lowering the deflector. To accomplish this result, a floor portion 43 of the conduit section I8 is hinged at its rear end 44,

and for admitting air into the firebox above the grates. A door or closure 48 for the aperture 41 is arranged to be moved or controlled from a position in the seat 49 by one of the locomotive operators. The closure 48 is connected by means of the link and crank arm arrangement 56 to one end of a rod 5| extending along the underside of the cab deck 52. A control lever 53 at the other end of the rod 5| extends into the cab adjacent the seat 49 and carries a latch 54 adapted to engage a quadrant 55 whereby the amount of air admitted into the firebox through the aperture 41 may be regulated by holding the lever 53 in various positions with respect to the quadrant by means of the latch.

Referring to Figures 8, 9 and 10, a stoker conduit section 56 is shown communicating with an opening 51 for stoker firing only in the backhead 58 below the cab deck 59. A deflector 6B is flexibly connected by means of links 6| to the stoker conveyor screw 62. A split hanging bearing 63 is carried by the conduit section 56 for supporting the deflector 60. The two parts of the split bearing are secured together by bolts 64 and the bearing is secured to the conduit section by cap screws 65. .The forward end of the conveyor screw 62 is spaced from the backhead 58, and a nozzle 66 is also spaced a substantial distance from the backhead whereby the fuel conveyed by the screw 62 will be delivered directly thereto. The function and operation of the deflector 60 is similar to that described with regard to the deflector 36 of Figure 1.

Although the invention is shown and described as applied to a locomotive, it is apparent that it may be used equally as well with other boiler furnaces.

I claim:

1. In combination with a furnace having grates,

means for projecting fuel into the furnace in agiven direction over the grates, a revolvable fuel distributing member for deflecting a portion of the fuel from its projected direction, and means for varying the position of said member with respect to said fuel projecting means.

2. In combination with a furnace having grates and an upright wall provided with a firing opening, a conduit having a mouth portion communieating with the firing opening, means for projecting fuel into the furnace in a given direction over the grates, a conveyor screw for delivering fuel to said fuel projecting means, a revolvable fuel deflecting member mounted adjacent said mouth portion and attached to the conveyor screw for deflecting a portion of the fuel from such projected direction, said conveyor screw arranged to bear upon the floor of said conduit and a portion of said floor beneath the conveyor screw being adjustable.

3. In combination with a furnace having grates and an upright wall provided with a firing opening, a conduit having a mouth portion communicating with the firing opening, means for projecting fuel into the furnace in a given direction over the grates, a conveyor screw for delivering fuel to said fuel projecting means, a revolvable fuel deflecting member mounted adjacent said mouth portionfor deflecting a portion of the fuel from its projected direction, said fuel deflecting member being in direct driving connection with said conveyor screw, and an adjustable bearing for said fuel deflecting member.

4. In combination with a furnace having grates, means for projecting fuel into the furnace in a given direction over the grates, a revolvable fuel distributing member having a plurality of fuel deflecting projections movable into and out of the projected fuel as the member revolves and being arranged during a portion only of a revolution to deflect the fuel from its projected direction, the deflecting faces of said projections being disposed with respect to the direction of projection of the fuel to deflect the fuel to different predetermined areas of the furnace grates, and means for rotating said member.

5. In combination with a furnace having grates, means for projecting fuel into the furnace in a given direction over the grates, a conveyor screw delivering fuel to said means, and a revolvable fuel distributing member having fuel deflecting projections movable into and out of the projected fuel as the member revolves and being arranged during a portion only of a revolution to deflect the fuel from its projected direction, the deflecting faces of said projections being disposed with respect to the direction of projection of the fuel to deflect the fuel to different predetermined areas of the furnace grates, said member being operatively connected to and revolvable with said conveyor screw.

6. In combination with a furnace having grates and an upright wall provided with a firing opening, a conduit having a mouth portion communicating with the firing opening, a nozzle arranged to discharge a pressure fluid blast for projecting fuel in a given direction into the furnace above the level of the grates, a fuel distributing member mounted adjacent said mouth portion arranged to revolve about its own axis, said member being disposed above said blast and having a plurality of projections movable into and out of the projected fuel as the member revolves and being arranged during a portion only of a revolution to deflect the fuel from its projected direction, the deflecting faces of said projections being disposed with respect to the direction of projection of the fuel to deflect the fuel to different predetermined areas of the furnace grates, and means for rotating said member.

7. As a new article of manufacture, a fuel deflecting member having a shaft portion and a pair of diverging projections on one end of said shaft portion extending outwardly therefrom and spaced apart at their free ends, one on each side of a plane passed through the axis of said shaft, one of said projections being bent more sharply from said plane than the other projection and the free end of one of said projections being a greater distance from the axis of the shaft portion than the other projection.

8. As a new article of manufacture, a fuel deflecting member having a shaft portion and a pair of diverging projections on one end of said shaft portion extending outwardly therefrom and spaced apart at their free ends, one on each side of a plane passed through the axis of said shaft, one of said projections having a curved fuel deflecting surface and the other having a flat fuel deflecting surface, the projection having the curved deflecting surface being bent more sharply from said plane and extending outwardly from the axis of the shaft portion a greater distance than the projection having the flat deflecting surface.

9. In combination with a furnace having grates, means for projecting fuel into the furnace in a given direction over the grates, a rotatable fuel distributing member forward of said fuel projecting means having a plurality of deflecting faces, said faces being disposed with respect to the direction of projection of the fuel to deflect the fuel to different predetermined areas of the furnace grates.

FRANK P. ROESCH. 

